Different
by DanaeMariSkywalker
Summary: A collection of short stories on how the Doctor is different from his people and from Rose.
1. Part One

He always knew he was different. He wasn't normal, but then again no Time Lord was normal. He had been loomed just like any other child on Gallifrey. He had a single heart that would turn into two after the first time he regenerated. It's just that he was _different_.

Ever since he was small, his parents tried to treat him like any other. They tried to stay detached, but his mother had little success at that. The thing was she was not Gallifreyan. She was human or otherwise known to his people, an ape descendant. It was hard for a human especially a female to be detached to her son though he was more of an adopted son really. He was not born. He was loomed. The genes of his "parents" combined to make him.

As a youngster, his differences didn't make him stand out. He did hear the whispers though. Not everyone accepted him. The more hateful people called him names such as "mongrel", "half-breed", and "outsider". When he asked his parents about it, his father told him to pay no attention to it. So he ignored the whispers.

It came about when he turned seven. Ever since he was younger, he wanted to be a Time Lord and go to the academy. He knew as everyone on Gallifrey knew that Time Lord abilities manifested at the age of seven and if they turned up the lucky child went to the academy at eight years of age. His father was a Time Lord too and he regaled his son with tales of being a Lord of Time. The young Doctor, then Theta, would gape in awe and his eyes would shine with hero worship. His father would grin and would tell him stories until his mother said that it was time for bed.

Finally, his seventh life day arrived. He was all ready for those special abilities to turn up. The day passed and no luck. Several months passed and his parents told him to give up hope. He wasn't going to be a Time Lord. Being a stubborn child, he didn't give up. He just _knew _he was supposed to be a Time Lord. It was his destiny.

After half a year had passed, all of his friends had received their gift. He started to lose hope. Then, that fateful day came. When his abilities finally appeared in him, they came in force. A storm of emotions, feelings, and thoughts assailed him. He thought he would sink under that flood. Life was never the same again.


	2. Part Two

Time Lords were to be detached. Time Lords can't interfere, only watch. Time Lords weren't supposed to show emotion. Time Lords were all of these things. He was not.

The Doctor was different than other Time Lords. He followed the rules at first. He did his duties and respected those above him. He even had a family or as close as one could get on Gallifrey. He had a wonderful Time Lady for a wife, beautiful loomed children, and grandchildren too.

As time went on, things changed. He started to rethink the rules and ask if things were really necessary. He became more compassionate, more rebellious, and more restless. He took the name, the Doctor, because of his desire to help people. The life of a Time Lord didn't hold as much desire as it once had.

It became harder to be detached. He was already attached to his family and the Gallifreyan Council had no problem with that. His human instincts started to rise up. As he saw the people being affected by his and his people's actions, he thought that some of their fates were unfair and unjust.

Interfering became a thing that he wanted to do more. As he observed, his observations made him think over what was right and what was wrong. Sometimes he felt like just bursting in on the scene and helping the poor person or people from where their timeline directed them.

Being part human, suppressing his emotions was not easy. On the job, his face was emotionless and nothing showed. On occasion though, his emotions showed through his eyes and a twitch or two. His superiors, if they noticed, reproached him and told him he was better than that. They told him to keep better control over his emotions. When he got home, his emotions flooded over him and if he had a really depressing day glancing at people's timelines, he would start to cry. His wife knew his inner turmoil and tried to help him as best he could. He was grateful to her for that. Still his human-like thoughts grew, no matter how hard he tried to restrain them.

It all changed when he saw her. She was the most beautiful TARDIS he had ever set eyes upon. That TARDIS was battle-scarred, but still beautiful. It seemed like destiny when he set his eyes upon the ship who would become his partner for many hundreds of years.

Ever since he was little, he imagined himself piloting a TARDIS into space, seeing new worlds, new people, and new things, The nights before he entered the Academy were spent under the stars looking up to space. He would see TARDIS' fly off and wish he was one of the Time Lords piloting it. Even in the Academy, he still wanted his own TARDIS. Sure he got to learn how to fly one, and later fly one himself alone and with other Time-sensitive Gallifreyans. But he still wanted to have one to call his own and bond with. He didn't care that he failed his piloting lessons. The desire was still there. Now there was one just begging to be taken into Time and Space.

So he took her away with his granddaughter's help. He became the renegade Time Lord. He became the stuff of legends. He was the Oncoming Storm. He was the Doctor.


	3. Part Three

There was something different about Rose Tyler. Something that drew him to her. She was something special, for a human that is.

He didn't know why he was so fascinated by humans. Maybe it was because he was part human himself. They were able to do so much in their short lifetimes. Their life span didn't even come close to his. His people could live for centuries on end while only some humans lived even _one _century.

He had experienced it firsthand. His beloved mother had fallen ill and died when he was a full Time Lord. He was out and about when the call came. His mother was ill and dying fast. The doctors were doing all they could. They had already extended her lifespan to be longer than what normal humans were able to reach. He needed to get there for she wished to see him. When he got there, he had made it just in time and held her hand while she faded away. They had a stronger bond than any parent and child were supposed to have on Gallifrey.

He, his father, and the rest of his family mourned her passing for she was deeply loved. Most everyone liked her once they got past her being an outsider, a human. She was a sweet, intelligent woman.

Perhaps that was what drew him to Rose Tyler. She was so much like his mother. He wouldn't be surprised if she would have liked her.

Rose was not just a pretty face. She was brave, not one to back down in a tough situation. She was intelligent. Even though she hadn't passed her A-levels, she was still smart. She was compassionate and cared for everyone even those lower than her like Gwyneth for example. He was glad he had taken her on as a companion.


	4. Part Four

"How long are you going to stay with me?"

"Forever."

The Doctor and Rose Tyler "Army of Ghosts"

Forever. He had asked and she had said forever. He didn't know what had driven him to ask that question. He had already known that she wanted to spend her life with him. It must have been the need to hear her say it again.

He didn't know why she wanted to stay with him. He was so much more different than her. He had two hearts. She had one. He was a Time Lord from the planet, Gallifrey. She was a human from Earth. He could live for hundreds of years. She could only live to around one hundred.

_That's one hell of an age gap._

She was right back then. A major age gap separated them. People would not approve of that. He knew that was how it was with his parents.

_You can spend the rest of your life with me, but I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on…alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords._

He was right. His long life was a curse. Rose couldn't spend his forever with him, but he could spend hers with her. When she passed away, he didn't know what he would do. He almost wished that he had a normal life that he could spend with her, but it was not to be. He had to carry on being a Time Lord and protect the universe. Life would be worthless without her.

He shook himself from his dark broodings. He needed to live in the here and now, not in the past or in the future. He was looking forward to more adventures with his companion.

Thinking of his companion, the thought brought a smile to his face. One thing he loved about Rose was her acceptance of who he was. She did not want him to change. She loved him even though he was old, was an alien, and could change his face. Maybe being different was not so bad after all.


End file.
